


Fair Priorities

by mansikka



Series: Filling In The Gaps [25]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Episode Tag, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-23
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2019-06-15 05:15:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15405777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mansikka/pseuds/mansikka
Summary: Filler-y stuff for The Fair Folk





	Fair Priorities

**Author's Note:**

> This series is well overdue an update but with certain Stuff and Things...
> 
> <3

He's given speeches before. Multiple times in fact; when leading missions, when filling in for his parents, and to everyone already gathering before him in the ops center just now. But as Alec watches them all file in and eye him curiously, his stomach is still in knots. There is accusation, uncertainty, and mistrust mingled in there amongst the smiles on the faces of those who are ready to respect him, as well as those of his fierce defenders, no matter what he does. Izzy, Jace, even Clary smiles up at him as though she has complete trust in whatever he's about to tell them all. Alec pleads with himself not to let a single one of them down.

Just a couple of hours earlier, he'd woken up with Magnus pillowed against his chest, sure he would happily miss his very first announcement as Head of the Institute to stay right where he was. Magnus had kissed his chest, sleepily raised his head, said that him thinking so hard was the thing to have woken him. Then braced himself over Alec on his palms and kissed him, continuing what they'd started the night before.

Alec clears his throat, reluctant to rid his mind of images of Magnus, but focusing instead on the task at hand. His announcement about the Cabinet meetings he knows isn't what a lot of them want to hear, and he doesn't miss the way Izzy glares and snaps at a couple of Shadowhunters who he assumes disagree. But it needs to be done, whatever they think, if they are ever going to turn the tide on this mistrust that's built up between the Shadowhunters and Downworlders. That's always simmered there, really, for obvious reasons, but of late has felt so much worse.

Jace and Clary's agreement to meet with the Seelie Queen strikes one task off Alec's list for the morning, though Izzy linking arms with him to drag him back to his new office tells Alec he's already going to be waylaid from what he wants to do next.

"I'm so proud of you, Alec," she says the second they're through the doorway, smiling so hard it's impossible not to echo it even a little.

"I don't know—"

"You _do_ know," Izzy insists, raising an eyebrow that dares him to disagree. "You were born to do this, Alec. You know you were. Aren't you always telling me it's _you_ that's supposed to be the diplomat?"

Alec can't argue with that, so just gives a half shrug, and turns to look at the already-mounting work on his desk.

"Don't be afraid to ask for help," Izzy adds, coming to stand at the end of the desk and bracing her palms against it. "If you need help, or you need to—even if you just need to talk things out. I'm here. We all are."

"Thanks, Izzy," Alec says with a sigh as he sinks into his chair and drags it forward, turning to look at her with a smile.

"I'll leave you to it," she says, casting a quick glance over the papers already scattered in front of him. Alec listens to the click of her heels as she walks away and slumps back in his chair, sitting forward again to grab his phone.

There is a message waiting from Magnus which he thumbs open immediately, though isn't happy that there is no response from Luke yet about his plan for a Downworlder Cabinet.

" _How did it go?_ " Magnus' message reads, with Alec paying far too much attention to the single kiss that follows.

" _Good_ ," he types back, debating on telling him he's yet to hear from Luke. Though he doesn't want Magnus to think he's asking him to help persuade him. " _I think at least some of them were listening to me. Did your client arrive yet?_ "

Alec starts sorting through the various papers in front of him—nothing unfamiliar, thankfully—and organizes them into a prioritized pile. His phone beeps again and he's thumbing it open even as he swaps a couple of tasks around.

" _Any moment now. Enjoy the rest of your morning, Alexander. I will speak to you this afternoon. Perhaps I can take the new Head of the Institute to dinner tonight?_ "

" _I'd love that_ ," Alec replies with a smile on his face, already half-wondering what Magnus will choose to wear. 

" _Until then…_ " he receives back almost immediately, and he stares at it for a couple more seconds than necessary before returning to work.

Alec picks up the first report he has to check from his pile, moves to pick up a pen, and startles at the appearance of coffee and a grease-spotted paper bag out of nowhere.

" _Thanks, Magnus_ ," Alec types back with a string of kisses and hearts that he knows Magnus will smirk at. Then takes a sip of his coffee and gets to work.

* * *

"So it's important this meeting tonight go smoothly," Alec says, reluctant to move away from discussing their plans for dinner, and smiling at the laughter in Magnus' tease.

"It _will_ ," Magnus assures him. "I'll be by your side the whole time."

Alec can't help but smile for Magnus' words, even if he can't really accept them right now. "Actually, I… I'd rather you not."

He's been going over this part since his meeting with Luke earlier. Alec knows he's going to be accused of not being able to remain neutral when his boyfriend is the High Warlock of Brooklyn, even if he's determined to do right by everyone. He also doesn't want to hurt Magnus, and his stomach is already churning for imagining the hurt look on Magnus' face.

There is only a second of pause from Magnus' end of the conversation, but it already braces Alec for confirmation of that hurt.

"Have I done something wrong?"

"No, not at all," Alec says quickly, needing to reassure him. "It's just I don't wanna be accused of any kind of… warlock favoritism."

He hears Magnus pause again, can almost picture him nodding, and doesn't have to be there to know he's pacing the apartment.

"I see," Magnus says, with a slight edge to his voice that Alec feels nothing but guilt for hearing. "Perhaps another warlock should go instead."

Alec laughs. How could any other warlock stand in Magnus' place for something as vital as this?

"No, I need you there, Magnus. But as a warlock representative. Not as my boyfriend. Is that okay?"

He hopes Magnus is smiling for that at least.

"Of course," Alec hears, and though Magnus' tone is a little forced, Alec thinks he is accepting of what he's asked of him. "It's best that we keep our personal and professional lives separate."

Alec smiles into the phone. "Thank you."

Normally when they speak about work-related things they end their calls more professionally, and it's followed up with a far more personal text. But then his mother appears in the doorway beaming with pride for him. Alec is pleased to see her, even if things are still so complicated in their family right now. He makes a mental note to message Magnus back later, and turns to her with a smile.

* * *

Alec is glad that Izzy is by his side for Meliorn's arrival. He still has the urge to blurt out an apology for all that passed between them after Meliorn was questioned here in the Institute, but he schools it in, keeps a calm mask on his face to conceal his nerves. He isn't so pleased to see Raphael even though he knows how important he will be to this Cabinet meeting. Alec wants to rip him away from Izzy, yet also has the strange urge to apologize to Raphael as well for the way he'd beat him repeatedly in his own apartment.

Raphael barely glances in his direction as he makes his way to the meeting room guided by Izzy. Alec thinks there will always be discomfort between them, but he's distracted from it by the arrival of Magnus looking as beautiful, and confident as he always does.

"Lovely to see you, Mr. Lightwood," he says after clearing his throat.

Alec feels the corners of his mouth turn up into a smile and tries to fight it. "And you, Mr. Bane. Thank you for taking the time."

There is a secret smile between them, mirth at the formality of their words, and their handshake goes on far longer than necessary, with Magnus swirling his thumb over the back of Alec's hand. Alec's eye dart to the clothes he's wearing and he tells himself not to think about getting through all those buttons later.

"I wouldn't miss it," Magnus says, smiling at him still, though this time there is an excited kind of pride there beneath it. "I have tremendous respect for the new Head of the Institute."

Alec doesn't know what to say without bursting out into a very unprofessional grin, so hums in answer instead and belatedly drops his hand. He puts his hands behind his back to formalize the situation further, though also gestures the direction for Magnus to take, catching his wink as he turns from him.

Alec smiles after him, letting his eyes linger over Magnus for a couple of seconds before Luke's arrival. He's more relieved to see Luke than anyone, Alec realizes, having not been sure he'd even show.

"You won't regret this," he promises, gladly taking Luke's hand to shake.

"I hope not," Luke replies, fixing him with a look that says _don't mess this up_.

Alec watches Luke speaking to his mother, half-wanting to overhear their conversation. Though instead goes over the words he's planning on saying in this first Cabinet meeting, and readies himself for it as he makes his way to join the waiting Downworlders.

* * *

The meeting is not smooth-sailing, but Alec is tentatively pleased with the progress they make. Even with Luke's anger, and Meliorn's dismissal, and Raphael's words for Magnus about him being unbiased. Alec is further convinced that he and Raphael will always have their difficulties no matter how close Raphael and Magnus are, but keeps a neutral smile on his face whenever they talk.

Alec loathes that Magnus has to relive even a few seconds of his time in Valentine's body, and is happy to change the subject to lighter things as Luke leaves to call his pack. Though then having to confront Luke for being seconds away from murdering Valentine—even if it's exactly what Valentine deserves—calls the meeting to an untimely end with barely enough time to arrange the next one.

Alec is at his desk when Magnus finds him, having taken both sanctuary behind the walls of his office and wanting to check he's done everything it's possible for him to do as Head of the Institute on his first day.

"You wanna raincheck dinner?" Magnus says in greeting as he hovers in the doorway, not looking like he plans to move any further. Alec already hates the idea that he won't walk straight in like he's long done himself in Magnus' apothecary. But that need for formality between them when they're both technically in a work setting is important, so he doesn't comment on the way Magnus hovers waiting for him to talk.

Alec smiles as he pushes back from his desk, an apology on his lips with a quick glance at all the paperwork that's built up despite his efforts to clear it throughout the day. But then he really looks at Magnus, and even if he can no longer picture him looking uncertain as the memory of _Valentine_ had crept back over him during that meeting. Even if Magnus will understand completely why Alec will feel the need to devote all he can to this new work. Even with all those things, all he wants to do is prioritize Magnus. Let him know that for so many things, he will always come first.

"I don't," Alec says, shaking his head as he stands and tossing the report still clutched in his hand to the desk. "I wanna have dinner with you, like we planned."

"Are you sure?" Magnus asks, hope dancing in the corners of his eyes even as Alec reaches out to wrap his hands around his waist and pull him closer.

Alec pulls him flush against him, tugging Magnus forward just enough so he can grab and slam the door behind him, then lean in for a kiss. "I'm sure."

 


End file.
